The 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony delivered early thrills on Sunday, February 1, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with several rising stars securing their hardware. From jazz sensations to heartfelt dedications, the night was packed with emotion and talent shining through.
Oh, the drama of award season never disappoints! 🌟 At the 68th Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (February 1), a lineup of artists walked away with well-deserved wins, setting the stage for the main event hosted by Trevor Noah for his sixth and final time.
First up, Samara Joy, the 26-year-old jazz prodigy, extended her epic streak by snagging Best Jazz Vocal Album for her album Portrait. This marks her sixth Grammy overall and fourth consecutive year dominating the category—she previously triumphed in 2025 for A Joyful Holiday, 2023 for Linger Awhile, plus Best Jazz Performance nods in 2024 for “Tight” and 2025 for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” with Sullivan Fortner. And get this: she hasn't lost a Best Jazz Vocal Album nomination yet! Talk about untouchable. 👑
Meanwhile, Laufey, also 26, made it two-for-two in Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album with A Matter of Time, following her 2024 win for Bewitched. But she didn't just grab the trophy—she used her moment to advocate, telling the crowd, “I owe everything to my music education, to my arts education…we cannot cut arts funding, it’s so important. What you all do here is so important. I love you all so much.” Preach, queen! Later, she was spotted rubbing elbows with A-listers at the weekend's star-studded parties.
Shaboozey, the 30-year-old country-rap sensation, scored his first-ever Grammy alongside Jelly Roll for Best Country Duo/Group Performance on their collab “Amen.” Getting visibly emotional onstage, he poured his heart out: “I’ve never written a speech in my life…Dear God, I just wanna say thank you. Nothing is possible without you.” He shouted out his mom, retiring after 30 years as a registered nurse in the psych ward, juggling 3-4 jobs to raise him and his four siblings as children of immigrants. “Immigrants built this country, literally,” he declared. “So this is for them, for all children of immigrants… you’ve given America color. Thank you.” 💔
And in a plot twist worthy of a rom-com, 32-year-old R&B crooner Leon Thomas became a two-time winner, taking Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Vibes Don’t Lie” and Best R&B Album for Mutt. He hilariously missed the first acceptance—rehearsing at Crypto.com Arena for his big performance, so Mom stepped in to collect. But he dashed over just in time for the second. He's also up for Best New Artist. Multitasking icon!
With Kendrick Lamar leading nominations at nine, followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Cirkut at seven each, the full show promises more fireworks. Who's next to spill the tea?
